Shirley Jean Nelms

Mrs. Shirley J. Nelms or "Mamaw" as many lovingly called her went to be
with the Lord on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. She was born on September
7, 1938 to W.D. Leon and Mary Imogene Kimbell Johnson. She married
Billy A. Nelms, Sr. on December 18, 1954. He preceded her death in
November 2017.

She was a homemaker and a devoted Christian. Her home was open to
many over the years. She joked often about having had only four children,
but never knowing how many might show up for supper. She was a volunteer
with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts as well as with her church, First Baptist Church,
Fulton, KY. She helped to prepare and serve meals for the church through both
Wednesday Night meals as well as the Grief Ministry, and Vacation Bible School.
She was a member of the Sanctuary Choir where she memorized all the
music as the choir practiced and rarely used a choral book. She and her husband
loved southern gospel music and attended as many local concerts as they could. They
also read and memorized much scripture. She was known to repeat back scriptures
read to her by our pastor whenever he came to call. She loved the Lord and served
Him faithfully. She was a member of the Fellowshippers Sunday School class. She
loved and took care of her family well.

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She
had four children: Kay (Tony) Mathias, Billy (Bubba) Nelms, Jr., Ronnie (Melissa)
Nelms, and Connie Smith and her fiance' Jon Meacham. She was the grandmother
of Bryant (Amanda) Mathias, Shaun Mathias, Charity (Malcolm) Lester, Loren
(Amanda) Nelms, Jason (Melissa) Nelms, Jerrod (Jamie) Nelms, Trevor Ward and
his fiance' Amanda Reasons, and Carly Smith and her fiance' Tyrome Sharpe. Her
grandchildren by heart are Trent (Tara) Dowdy and Kassie (Ben) Hooks. Her children
by heart are Jere (Patty) Hughes and Joe (Janet) Dowdy. She was the great-grandmother
of Katlynn Mathias, Kamrynne Mathias, and Joseph Mathias, Macie Lester, Balie
Lester, PJ Nelms, Jersey Nelms, Audrey Nelms, Lucy Jane Nelms, Drew Nelms,
Emma Nelms, Adaline Nelms, Leo Nelms, Maggie Nelms, Chance Ward, Nevaeh
Reasons, and Laiken Reasons. Her great-grandchildren by heart are Parker and
Jase Dowdy. She has a sister-in-law Janice Cooley Johnson of Louisville, KY who
survives as well as two nephews- Ronnie E. Johnson, Jr and Scott W. Johnson.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Billy A. Nelms, Sr., and her
brother, Ronald Earl Johnson, Sr.

Funeral services will be held at 11AM Thursday in our funeral chapel with
burial to follow in the Obion County Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be held
at the funeral home from 5-8PM Wednesday.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church - Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1140,

Fulton, KY 42041.